How to celebrate Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa is one of the most popular and mass Christian holidays, which originally has pagan roots. Maslenitsa begins long before the appearance of Christianity as a separate religion - it was a spring holiday dedicated to the pagan God Yaril Sunny. These days were baked and eaten in a huge number of pancakes that symbolized the fiery sun, and the fun and celebrations marked the rapid arrival of spring heat.

In the 16th century, Maslenitsa officially became the holiday of Christian Rus, it was easier to accept such a bright pagan holiday than to try to abandon him. Maslenitsa lasts a whole week, which begins for seven weeks to the christian holiday Easter, and is a preparation for the Great Post. The main attributes of the carniatic week are pancakes, cheesecakes (and other liver), fun, contests, fairs and straw doll, which received the name of the carnival. The date of the holiday is annually determined by the lunar calendar, depending on the celebration of Easter, and most often falls at the end of February - the beginning of March, when the first warm days await.

Every day, from seven holidays has its own purpose and name:

The first day is the beginning of the holiday, when they build stuffed from straw and dress up in women's bright outfits.
The second day is universal walking, games, fairs. In Russia, brides were selected on Russia on this day, and the girls looked at the guys.
The third day: traditionally invited to visit the mother-in-law, it was from here that the expression "to the mother-in-law on the pancakes" went.
The fourth day was called "ragble" when competitions, dance and famous fistful battles are arranged in the midst of fun, who are not practiced today.
Fifth day: The son-in-law invites to visit the pitcher with a test. However, before this, guests sent the son-in-law everything is necessary for the preparation of pancakes (milk, flour, aupport and the rest).
The sixth day: Relatives from the side of the bride are invited to visit visitors (in the commoner "Zolovkina gathering"), and also preparations for the completion of the holiday.
The seventh day is for forgiveness Sunday, when everyone is asking for a sorry for each other and the main action takes place - the burning of the stuffed carnival, which rushes around the village and after the dicks of the dance around the fire and jump through it.

Throughout the carniatic week, pancakes continue to bake and treat them with their relatives, friends. In the center of the city, a fair appears, where there are fun contests for baking or eating pancakes, riding a sleigh from a slide, where the pests are entertained, theatrical ideas are carried out and much more, which can join the people and cheer after the cold winter. Well, and the prerequisite for the completion of the festive week is the burning of the stuffed carnival.

Most of the traditions of this holiday remained in the past, no fistful battles are no longer passing, and the mother-in-law does not send a couple with a torch of son-in-law, but still Maslenitsa is a holiday of delicious pancakes and mass fun. Consider pancakes, boasting new recipes pancakes and go to visit the pancakes - good traditions for which this holiday received such wide folk love.